On Wednesday, I read that a prominent Christian recording artist, who shall remain nameless (but her initials are Lauren Daigle [I’m trying to keep it light, but I’m just not feeling it]), was asked in an interview whether or not homosexuality is a sin. Her response was something like this (actually, it was exactly like this): “So when people ask questions like that…that’s what my go-to is. I just say read the Bible and find out for yourself. And when you find out let me know, because I’m learning, too.” To be fair, she said more on the subject, but it didn’t get any better.

I was crushed. I am very critical of modern Christian music, and she was one of the few I actually enjoyed. I’m not proud of this, but Christian musicians have burnt me so often that I actually actively avoided finding out more about Daigle because I just didn’t want to know what I feared I would find out. I couldn’t ignore that headline though, and sure enough, it was true. Given the best case, today’s most popular Christian vocalist has not read the Bible. Given the worst case, she has read the Bible and has chosen to reject the Word of the Lord. If the worst-case scenario is where we stand, then my unsolicited counsel to Daigle is that she repent and acknowledge God as the Lord. If the best-case scenario is where we stand then my counsel is that she drop everything today and read the Word of God.

The matter of homosexuality could not be any more clear in the Bible. Every last reference to homosexuality in the Bible condemns it as sin, without exception. The most direct Biblical references, in my mind, are Genesis 19, Leviticus 20:13, Romans 1:18-32, and 1 Corinthians 6:9-11. Acknowledging sin as sin does not make God or His people hateful. In fact, the behavior of a hateful man would be to allow the sinner to continue on toward his destruction without warning him. We, like the God we serve, desire for all to be saved (Ezekiel 18:23, 33:11, 2 Peter 3:9), and in our pursuit of their salvation we love them, we pray for them, and we present the gospel to them. If they reject the gospel then we move on. We don’t hurt them, hate them, or harass them (Matthew 10:14). “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on [Jesus] the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6). God offers homosexuals the same salvation that he offers all of us: to acknowledge our sin (1 John 1:9), to acknowledge Jesus as our only hope for forgiveness (Acts 4:12), and that we call to Him for salvation from our sin and its ultimate consequence (Romans 10:9-10).

How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if man, follow him. And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. You may not like it and it may not be popular, but Peter answered correctly when Jesus asked in John 6:67 whether or not the twelve disciples wanted to leave him, like others did when he preached something unpopular. “Simon Peter answered Him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. And we have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.’” Choose for yourselves.